Latch mechanism



F. GERSON LATCH MECHANISM Jan. 3, 1950 Filed March 27, 1948 my ma wwwad. mm f ,W M/ J f ,w www wall 26a, and bottom wall I1 during suchswinging movement, either in the direction of arrow A or B for a purposelater to be described. One extreme left position, indicated in dot-dashlines and designated by numeral 38 is shown in Fig. 3, whereby jaw 3lengages the forward end of side wall I4 at 39 and whereby the swingingmovement of spring 21 becomes thus limited This position may bepredetermined so as to permit spring 21 to move either in its centralVposition (shown in full lines) or to its eXtreme outer positions,either in the direction oi arrow A or B to compensate for any misalignedposition which the strike or keeper 35 may take with respect to the jaws3I, 32 of spring member 21.

Fig, 4 shows keeper 35 in its nal or engagement position in which thejaws 3l and 32 of the latching spring 21 abut laterally at 39 vand 40against the inner facesN of side walls I4 and I3, respectively, wherebythe spring 21 is tensioned and substantially undisplaceably held in'sideward direction, while the forwardV ends 33 and 34 of the springjaws 3| and 32 engage with the outer curved ends 33a, 34a. of the keeper35 in which position the spring 21 is pressed in outward direction.

Fig. 6 shows the latch housing seen in Figs. `2 and 3 together` with adiierently shaped spring 45. This spring 45 has the jaws 4B and 41similar in shape to jaws 3|, 32 of spring member 21, and the forward,outwardly bentends 48 and 49.

While the rearward end 50 of spring 45 is somewhat curved or rounded,the legs I and 52 interconnecting the end 5 with the jaws 46.and 41,respectively, Vare of such formations that they form a knee or bend 53,54, respectively,.which 'knee `53 in one position of springV 45 isadapted 41form a unitary section of the-spring 45, that these, springjaws may move relativelyvto the point of support 53 at I4 and 54 at I3and are thus biased at said locations of support.

Although jaws 3 I, 32 of Fig. 3 will also be somewhat biased withrespect tothe remainderYA of spring 21 (when swung to the extremepositions of which one is indicated in Fig-r3 indotted lines), it willbe quite Yobvious that due tothe fact that the location of contactbetweenthe'respective knees and-the side walls within theV Vlatchhousing I5 (Fig. 6) is more remote from the outer ends 48 and 49 ofspring member.45,"the movability and tension of the spring jaws-and 41willbe quite different as compared with the spring jaws 3l, 32 of spring21. Thus, it will be seen thatV the same latch housing may be used rearend and projecting beyond said open housing end, and a retainer elementforming an integral part of said latch housing and positioned spacedyfrom said inner walls of said latch housing, said rear end of saidspring member extending within the space between said housing walls andsaid retainer element, said retainer element forming a pivot for saidspring rear end, whereby said projecting jaws may swing Vwithin theconfines of said walls lof said housing.

Having thusdescribed the invention, what is claimed as new and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a latch mechanism having a keeper and a latch housing with an openend, which housing is dened by a bottom wall, a .top wall, a rear walland opposite side walls; a single U-shaped spring member provided withan arcuate rear portion and two jaw-forming legs projecting from saidrear portion through said open end of said housing for cooperationwithsaid keeper, the height of said spring member substantiallycorresponding to the distance between saidtop wall and said bottom wall,and an upright pivot element struck out of the bottom wall and bent toextend substantially parallel to said rear wall, said rear portion ofsaid spring member being positioned for movement about said pivotelement within the space defined by said upright pivot element and saidrearwall, the extent of movement of said spring member being limitedY bysaid side walls within said housing against which said legs of saidspring member are spread and braced in engaged position of said keeperwith said jaws ofsaid spring, member. Y

2.'In a mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said bottom wall isshorter in length than that of said top wall, the height of said pivotelementY being approximately half the height of said rear wall. a Y YFRED GERSON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS North et al. June 3, 1941

